Join this two-hour jaunt around Bushwick and Williamsburg to see some of the area’s best pieces, such as Belgium artist ROA’s two-story-high wall mural of a giant squirrel, raccoon and fox with their tails wrapped around windows, or the work of French stencilist Christian Guémy, known as C215, who creates portraits of orphans, the homeless and refugees. Guide David Meade, an ex-graffer born and raised in the Bronx, also teaches participants the difference between paste-ups, stencils, murals, stickers and graffiti.

Article by Sandra Plasse

Brooklyn museum: Art tours highlight the writing on the wall

On the tours, Meade tries to provide patrons a historical curation of the art — informing walkers about the transition from the spray-painted words of the graffiti movement in the ’70s and ’80s to the more free-form street art culture that emerged in the ’90s — to provide an objective perspective on the otherwise description-less works.

Article by Natalie MusumeciPhotos by Stefano Giovannini

Street Art: A Williamsburg Walk with Dave Meade

“He also chose the location because it is a great place to get people in the habit of finding street art that is often hidden in plain sight”

“Meade is an ex-graffer, but he is also an interesting mixture of scholar, teacher, fan boy, and tour guide.”

“At this point Dave Meade is Yoda, and I am a Luke Skywalker with a beard. Needless to say, he has my attention. I will follow Yoda/Dave into a star if he said it might be fun. I want to know the secrets of the streets. Dave knows the secrets of the streets, go on the Art Walk and he will tell them to you.”

“Dave can do this Art Walk because he is constantly engaged in it. He tweaks his route to cater to the best art in the best spots.”

“As he weaves through Williamsburg, recurring themes and artists start to jump out. I started to notice things I would have never seen without the guidance of Meade’s trained eye. That is the coolest part of the experience–Meade trains you to see the world around you in a completely new and interesting light. For tourists or native New Yorkers, the art walk is enriching and informative. David Meade transforms the street into both a gallery and a classroom. Go take the Art Walk: become a tourist, a student, a critic, and maybe even a Jedi.”

Article by Scott BunzePhotos by Dewey Frechette

Art on the streets: a Brooklyn tour

If you’re someone who has eclectic tastes and are looking for something different to do on a weekend afternoon, then this is the tour for you.